IEA PVPS is about to start a new format for expert engagement: an Action Group on Agrovoltaics; a collaborative effort to harness the synergy between agriculture and solar energy generation. Through international cooperation and interdisciplinary engagement, the group aims to unlock the potential of agrivoltaics, optimizing land use efficiency, enhancing agricultural resilience to climate change, and fostering social consensus towards solar energy development.

Global solar demand will continue to grow in 2024, with module demand likely to reach 492 GW to 538 GW. Amy Fang, a senior analyst at InfoLink, looks at module demand and supply chain inventories in a market still affected by oversupply.

In a new monthly column for pv magazine, the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) explains how solar and wind are dominating power plant construction.

In another article of a series, Women in Solar Europe (WiSEu) gives voice to Zoraida Bejarano, the Head of Talent Management at NextEnergy Group. She says the underrepresentation of women in recruitment processes in the solar energy industry complicates efforts to showcase inclusivity and address unconscious biases.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, reports that, despite record rainfall in the middle of April, areas of the Arabian Peninsula still saw above-average irradiance through April, with the UAE and parts of Saudi Arabia seeing irradiance about 5% above normal.

The Israeli authorities have proposed a plan to deploy 250 MW of floating solar and agrivoltaics through four PV plants in the Negev Desert near Ramon Airport.

Japanese power generator Jera says it aims to take the lead in developing the global hydrogen & ammonia value chain with about 7 million tons of handling volume, while Cepsa reveals it is moving forward with its green hydrogen plans in Spain.

A new research paper urges the Saudi Arabian government to improve consumer knowledge of renewable energy to encourage the adoption of solar by domestic consumers.

Fiera Milano SpA has started generating electricity from Italy’s largest rooftop solar array. The trade fair organizer’s development partner deployed the 18 MW system on the pavilions of its exhibition center in Rho, near Milan.

Daewoo’s new hybrid inverters feature LiFePO4 batteries. They are available in six variants, with power ratings ranging from 0.5 kVA to 10 kVA.

A new US solar installer survey covers typical loan terms, top equipment brands, and what to expect from system maintenance services.

European renewables developer Qair will build a 10 MW solar plant in western Tunisia with a €3.9 million ($4.2 million) loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as to up to €1 million in concessional funding from Finland.

Rooftop PV is the fourth-largest source of electricity generation in Australia, providing about 11% of the country’s power supply, but SunWiz says the market faces challenges.

Adnoc has delivered the world’s first certified bulk commercial shipment of low-carbon ammonia to a client in Japan, while Plug Power has agreed to supply a 3 GW electrolyzer in Australia.

CGM Power Group Ltd., an independent power producer (IPP), is requesting expressions of interest from engineering, procurement and construction companies for the development of a 50 MW on-grid solar plant in northern Zambia. 

Researchers in China have outlined a new surface engineering strategy to build low-cost solar cells without a hole transport layer. The devices were treated with benzoylcholine halide to reduce non-radiation recombination and achieved remarkable efficiency and stability.

Researchers in China have developed a model to predict lifetimes of heterojunction (HJT) modules made with ultraviolet cut-off polyolefin elastomer (POE) encapsulant. The approach considers factors such as temperature, humidity and UV irradiation.

Researchers have developed a thermal regulation strategy to improve the performance of inverted tin-lead perovskite tech for all-perovskite tandem solar cells. It has an efficiency of 23.4% and contributed to a 27.2% efficiency in a tandem cell while ensuring stability.

Swiss researchers have engineered a device that uses solar energy to heat to more than 1,000 C. The technology could make it possible to use solar energy to decarbonize energy-intensive industries that require high temperatures for production processes.

The Bridgestone World Solar Challenge has announced a new set of dates for for the 2025 edition of its unique 3,000 km solar car race across the Australian continent, along with some regulation changes.

With PV module capacity ramping up, glass suppliers have been investing in new solar glass production capacity. As in India and China, new facilities are popping up in North America, with unique twists to ensure competitiveness, such as using recycled material.

The China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNMIA) says that the average price of n-type polysilicon fell by 5% to 6% this week.

Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) has completed the sale of REC Solar Holdings’ kerf-based polysilicon manufacturing division, REC Solar Norway, to Elkem ASA. However, it will retain the technology and intellectual property rights of kerf-based polysilicon.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, OPIS, a Dow Jones company, provides a quick look at the main price trends in the global PV industry.

The Office of the President has turned its focus to solar panels, announcing the removal of the bifacial solar panel Section 301 tariff exclusion and addressing issues of stockpiling during trade cases, alongside promoting the nation’s manufacturing base.

The 17th edition of the German-African Energy Forum in Hamburg this week drew more than 300 participants from over 30 countries. The continent’s green energy transition and how to finance it were among the topics on the agenda.

Zhongchu Guoneng Technology Co., Ltd. (ZCGN) has switched on the world’s largest compressed air energy storage project in China. The $207.8 million energy storage power station has a capacity of 300 MW/1,800 MWh and uses an underground salt cave.

Australian energy giant Origin Energy has revealed plans to build what could be the biggest battery energy storage system (BESS) in the state of Queensland, as it continues the expansion of its renewable energy generation and storage portfolio.

Atess Power has developed a new series of battery energy storage system (BESS) containers. The Chinese manufacturer is offering 20 HC and 40 HC containers, as well as battery-only containers with storage capacities up to 3,440 kWh.

China Southern Power Grid has deployed a 10 MWh sodium-ion battery in China’s Guangxi Zhuang region. It is the first phase of a 100 MWh project.